Principal Data Scientist H-1B salaries — 584 certified filings (FY2016–FY2026)
- 96
- Filings · FY2025
- $177k
- Median base · FY2025
- $160k–$196k
- Middle 50% · FY2025
- Walmart Associates
- Top sponsor · 67 all-time
Principal Data Scientist: 584 certified H-1B LCAs since FY2016. In FY2025 the median base salary was $177k across 96 filings, with the middle 50% of offers between $160k and $196k. The biggest sponsors are Walmart Associates, Aetna Resources, Navy Federal Credit Union; most filings are in New York, NY.
How much does a Principal Data Scientist make on an H-1B?
Certified base salary by fiscal year: each box is the p25–p75 range, the heavy line the median, the whiskers reach p10–p90. $177k median in FY2025. Base pay only — hover a year for its figures.
How has Principal Data Scientist sponsorship changed?
6 certified filings in FY2016 → 92 in FY2026. The change column is each year against the one before.
| Fiscal year | Filings | vs prior FY | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2026 | 92 | −4% | $176k |
| FY2025 | 96 | −9% | $177k |
| FY2024 | 105 | +94% | $171k |
| FY2023 | 54 | −26% | $158k |
| FY2022 | 73 | +46% | $150k |
| FY2021 | 50 | +9% | $171k |
| FY2020 | 46 | +130% | $145k |
| FY2019 | 20 | −31% | $135k |
| FY2018 | 29 | +123% | $138k |
| FY2017 | 13 | +117% | $140k |
| FY2016 | 6 | — | $155k |
Which companies sponsor H-1B Principal Data Scientists?
The employers with the most certified filings, all years, with their median base salary. Open any employer for its full profile.
| # | Employer | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Walmart Associates | 67 | $174k |
| 2 | Aetna Resources | 18 | $208k |
| 3 | Navy Federal Credit Union | 13 | $172k |
| 4 | Atlassian US | 10 | $192k |
| 5 | Anthem | 10 | $111k |
| 6 | AT T Services | 10 | $185k |
| 7 | Optum Services | 9 | $145k |
| 8 | Shipt | 9 | $189k |
| 9 | IBM | 7 | $205k |
| 10 | Fidelity Brokerage Services | 7 | $102k |
Where are H-1B Principal Data Scientist jobs located?
Worksite cities with the most certified filings for this title, all years.
| # | City | Filings | Median base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 32 | $200k |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 29 | $187k |
| 3 | Bentonville, AR | 28 | $172k |
| 4 | Sunnyvale, CA | 24 | $172k |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | 20 | $150k |
| 6 | Boston, MA | 20 | $150k |
| 7 | Santa Clara, CA | 18 | $157k |
| 8 | Bellevue, WA | 17 | $186k |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | 16 | $129k |
| 10 | Mountain View, CA | 15 | $200k |
Common questions about Principal Data Scientist H-1B salaries
- What is the median H-1B salary for a Principal Data Scientist?
- The median certified H-1B base salary for Principal Data Scientist is $177k (FY2025), from 96 filings. Across all years the middle 50% earn between $139k and $198k.
- Which companies sponsor the most H-1B Principal Data Scientists?
- The top H-1B sponsors for Principal Data Scientist are Walmart Associates, Aetna Resources, Navy Federal Credit Union.
- Where are most H-1B Principal Data Scientist jobs located?
- The top worksite locations for H-1B Principal Data Scientist roles are New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, Bentonville, AR.
- Does a certified LCA mean Principal Data Scientist H-1B visas were approved?
- No. A Labor Condition Application (LCA) is the Department of Labor attestation an employer must have certified before filing an H-1B petition with USCIS. It records the job, worksite and offered wage, but not whether the petition was filed, selected in the lottery, or approved. Filing counts measure intent to sponsor, not headcount.
- What salary do these figures show?
- The base annual wage offered on the certified LCA, converted to a yearly amount. Bonus, equity, overtime and benefits are not included, so total compensation is typically higher. Figures are medians and percentiles over certified filings; wages above $5,000,000 a year are excluded as data-entry errors.
- What does the fiscal year mean here?
- Years are U.S. government fiscal years, October to September: FY2025 runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025. This matches how the Department of Labor publishes the disclosure files. The most recent year may be partial until its final quarter is released.
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Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification — certified LCA disclosure data through June 2026 (FY2016–FY2026). An LCA is not an approved visa; pay figures are base salary and exclude bonus and equity. Methodology →